How did you all get started?

[QuyN]

How did you all get started collecting and buying machines? Did you start with old EM machines? Buy the cheapest one you could get? Did you start with ones that you absolutely loved and had to have? Are you all filthy rich and I'm the only poor one? Or did you have to finance?

No specifics needed obviously for the $$$ part. I can tell you right now that I can't just drop $5-8K on a "fun thing." I'm thinking a couple years down the road, I'd like to seriously look at buying a machine but was just curious how you even start to make such a thing happen. Many of you own multiple machines, I'm having trouble just thinking about owning one lol

[Hilton]

I bought my favorite game first, TAF.

In one week it was broken and I learned quickly that to own pins I needed to learn how to fix them.
I got some help from kind locals, got TAF fixed and learned I probably like working on them more than playing them.

1 mutliplied into 12 in 12 months. That was a few years ago and prices were really taking off. I got lucky with a few cheap buys that I sold after owning for a year and the value had gone way up. That allowed me to grow the collection further/quicker. Buying back then (or for the lucky ones, 10 years ago when they were really cheap) meant the value of many went up and allowed me to sell non-keepers for other more desirable games (to me).

Cheap games and good deals are much harder to find now but are around if you get lucky, keep cash on hand, and are ready to buy at a moments notice. (Tough since there are a few professional flippers that run RSS feeds on all craigslists and play dirty to get games now-a-days but you can still find deals with patience).

Most of my collection falls in the 2k range for a game. That is my wheelhouse and I find there are LOTS of great overlooked games in that price range. There are Bally/Williams B listers, sys11 games, and great gottliebs and segas that are overlooked by many. These games are super fun and many have more lasting power than the more expensive stuff for me.

I am far from rich, but I also have no kids, cut out most bad habits, and dont spend spare money on anything except pinball and burbon

[Hilton]

I can also add that many of the local collectors got into this years ago! TZ was 1500, Taf was 1200, MM was 3k. It would have been great to have been along back then. Those lucky ones were able to build up large collections because games were much cheaper and have gone up in value greatly. Many of them were able to sell their classics and turn them into brand new titles (saw alot cash in recently to buy GB).

I can say that without a doubt it is tougher to get into the hobby of collecting currently than it was just a few years ago. Luckily there are now many great locations to play games around town and for a couple of bucks. Between Geeks and Madison Pinball there must now be over 45 unique games to play in Madison. 3.5 years ago there were only 10 games total in Madison and few were playable. If I was just getting into pinball, I would play the snot out of the local route games, determine a budget of what I can afford, and also figure out what sort of game fits in that budget that I actually like.

I know you really want a TZ Que, but that is a tall order on a tight budget. If you expand your game list a bit then I am sure more of the locals can assist.
You will also need to figure out your comfort level with working on games (older games typically take more willingness to work on them compared to a brand new/more expensive game).

[epthegeek]

I'm one of those old time guys. I worked in an arcade in the late 80s and early 90s and got into pinball from that. I knew they sold off old games pretty cheap once they weren't earning so well anymore, so I knew they could be had. My first game was a TZ in late 95 or early 96 - can't remember what I paid for it, but it wasn't much. Then I added a Gilligans Island pretty cheap, and I think game 3 was a Roller Games from an auction. After that, things took a bad turn - I got a Cirqus Voltaire on closeout, New in box for a little over 2 grand. I was hooked on new games. So clean. So not broken. I got a TSPP, Cactus Canyon, and RFM (also new) and a SW:E1 essentially new from Ray at Action Pinball who only opened it and set it up to check it out. I sold several off over the years, kind of drifted away from pinball, got down to just CC and TSPP, then did the CCC project and got pulled back in pretty hard. Added a few more games, but prices are bonkers now. I'd love to add more, I just don't have the money for what they cost these days, and I'm not willing to scrounge for deals on projects, fix 'em and sell em to build up spare cash. Thankfully Jay stores a pile of games at my house

[QuyN]

I was just thinking from an ownership POV, that if I were to have one pin (which is all the space I have, maybe 2) it would be TZ or ST:TNG. Like you said, between Geeks, Alt, Pooley's, Schwoegler's, a few at The Pizza Oven, and at Rossi's, there are plenty of pins to keep me busy until the time comes. But, I would also love to be able to hit "Start" at any moment, from the comfort of my own home, at any hour of the day, to play a game I know I won't get bored of. I've definitely played more than just TZ. It's just one that stands out to me. And I don't know that the budget is tight, I would just have to plan the purchase and work with a good seller.

I guess I showed up to the party a few years late, which is too bad, but I'll have to figure it out. Do you find that the novelty ever wears off? Do you ever have buyers remorse?

[NoahK]

I got into pinball in 2014 after hearing on a retro gaming podcast about how they just play pinball at retro gaming conventions. Soon after that I found Madison Pinball and saw that they had just put in their first machines at Schwoegler's, which was convenient for me since it is only a few minutes from my house. Soon after that I decided that I wanted a machine of my own and did like Hilton mentioned and played as many games in the area to figure out what I would want. In April of 2015, my wife and I went to the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee with the intent of playing as many games as possible. We ended up putting in a pre-order on The Hobbit. In retrospect, I would not recommend pre-ordering a machine that is not in production for your first machine. I was told 5 months and it finally got delivered a few moths ago. NIB games generally have less issues than older ones, but still require maintenance and can still have problems out of the box. Also recently got Alien Poker, so I am slowly learning how to work on an older machine.

As far as recommendations, first off don't finance. A pinball machine is not something that you need like a house or car. Besides most people only take cash. I have only ever spent money put aside as "fun money" on pinball and don't intend to ever change that.

Second if I were looking for my first machine, I would look locally for a working game that I can afford that I don't hate preferably from a local collector. That way you can check it out in person and if it is from a collector, then it should be well maintained. Also since it is working, you can gradually learn how to work on it rather than start with the daunting task of trying to figure out who know how many issues to get it working in the first place. Remember that you can always sell or trade it for something else in the future.

Lastly, get to know others in the community. We all like to help each other out and someone may be able to hook you up with a deal or help you find that sought after game in the future.

[FrankJ]

You can tell my age...

I bought a couple of machines off the newspaper and shopper classifieds, fixed them up, sold them for a profit, rinse and repeat. I went to arcade auctions, met distributors and operators, and networked wherever I could. Bulk deals started falling into place. I started building an inventory of machines I wanted to keep with the profits. At my height, I had just over 50 keepers.

Unfortunately for you, the hobby has matured. The barn finds and warehouse raids have dried up. The information age tells everyone what they have is golden. Supply is down. Competition is fierce. In my opinion, more games change hands from collector to collector now.

The best advice I can come up with is to get involved - tournaments and shows. Meet people.

[Hilton]

to me the novelty never wears off to play in your own home. I can say that if I only had room for 1-2 then I would be very selective in my purchases to start but more than that I would get comfortable with swapping in a new one and selling if I master one.

I have had buyers remorse a couple of times but that is more so when I get tired of looking for a specific game and end up pulling the trigger to buy one for more than it is worth to me once I get it home. Those games usually leave quickly.

The majority of games I have been very happy with and they make me smile when I play them, fix them, or see others play them.

I dont think you are too late to the party at all. I think anytime is a good time to get in. With a machine and the way the hobby is, I think if you research and pay a fair price for a good game then you will have no issues getting your money out of it if you bore of it over time.

I track every game and look at number of plays as .50 per play. Reality is that the convenience of playing at home is worth way more than that, but you get the idea. If I play a game 1000 times at home and then sell it for 500 less then I paid, I am still happy with the cost to 'rent' the game. Quite often you will sell for the same amount or a little more depending on the title, demand for it, and if you maintain it well.

[Chris K]

We only got into it about a year ago... my wife and I are long-time video gamers, and over a few years going to MGC we started playing more pinball and fewer video games. What sealed the deal was walking out of MGC and making a deal to buy a friend's Space Jam. We played non-stop at home for a couple months and then the floodgates opened. We ripped a wall down to make a pinball room, and now the basement is full.

We've spent a lot on pinball overall, but most of our tables are fairly cheap. At one point we had four tables that collectively cost less than one TZ, and we had a ton of fun with that lineup. You can spend $5K on a new or AAA table, but there are some awesome pinball tables available for <$2K. Some tables aren't as desirable because they aren't "deep" or the theme isn't super cool, and some are cheaper because they aren't in like-new shape. But if you like pinball, a $1500 table in your basement that you like is much better than a $5000 table not in your basement that you love.

I suggest you get out and play everything you can, not just the AAA titles, and pull the trigger on something cheap that works and is pretty fun. If you don't like having pinball at home, worst case you're out a couple hundred dollars selling it at a loss. Which ain't a bad rental fee for free pinball at home.

Or maybe worst case is what happened in our house, where you knocked down a freaking wall and now have a basement full of goofy machines that mostly work and definitely are an illogical use of square footage.

[u2sean]

I grew up with an old Gottlieb Pro Pool at my house. After I moved out, I realized I enjoyed playing it and decided to just tinker with it. Turned into a light shop job and I didn't break anything! Then I bought a house and wanted a gameroom "for maybe 2-3 pinball machines" and a multicade. Well, that number got crushed pretty quickly and I'm completely out of room. Hence I started setting some up at work, friends houses, and put a few out on route.

Prices have gotten a little ridiculous over the past couple of years, but you can still find great games for reasonable prices as long as you're not looking for one of the high demand "A" titles. For a first game - get something that's working. There's nothing worse than bringing home a broken machine and not having any clue what to do next. I did this (TWICE because I'm stubborn that way), and ended up spending the first year not really playing and quite honestly getting frustrated. That was 15 years ago, and I can now at least figure out what's going on most of the time.

Like others have said, stop on out at the local spots and chat with others. The scene here in Madison is great, and there are a ton of friendly people willing to help you find the right game, and of course offer guidance on how to fix it when they break down (they always break down...) I know a lot of games in the area that have changed hands between people that know each other. Quite often, games that sell don't even hit the marketplace as it's just easier to sell to someone you know. Hope to meet you sometime!

- Sean

[ralphwiggum]

My first pin was a Lethal Weapon 3 off of Ebay for $300 back in 1999. It was the biggest piece of shit (electrically) I have ever had (even to this day), but I learned a ton from it. It took me 3 months to actually get it to boot and play, and it has been downhill since then. I stopped counting after the 150 machine mark. I went from 28 machines setup at once down to 11. I don't look for machines anymore, but I still enjoy playing about 20 minutes a week. Having kids changes a lot of things, but in a great way, I don't feel like I miss pinball at all.

If I was a new collector today, I would suggest keeping an eye on this site for deals (where the prices typically tend to be a couple hundred lower than most other sites), post a WTB here, and people will help you out as you get to know them. I am not on Facebook, but I know there are facebook groups that tend to have better pricing as well.

If you are looking at starting a collection, start with a game that has some replay-ability if you are mostly playing by yourself. STTNG is a great medium depth game to start-off with, as is Twilight Zone. Both can still be found with lots of patience under 4k (depending on condition). I wouldn't suggest finding a lesser condition game as your first game though, as the first thing you will want to do is actually play the game. If it breaks down all the time, you will most likely get too frustrated with the process of game ownership.

I always tell new collectors to find newer Sterns (SAM system and newer) if they want a pretty pain free game. The boardsets on the newer Sterns are pretty robust, and maintenance is far less than older machines in a home environment.

[Cloud7]

I am very new to owning machines. I bought my very first one last May. Its a TSSP. I've always really enjoyed pinball. However, my current home is the first home large enough to fit any machine. A small upper unit condo with no basement isn't accommodating for pinball machines. The first machine I was planning to buy was also TZ. But, my TSSP presented itself first. The condition and price were to good to pass up. You will hear alot from people who have owned machines for along time now, that "you're late to the game", or "a few years ago everything was so much cheaper". As true as it is, for you and for me both just getting into owning machines now, it doesn't matter. It's the past, our circumstances were different then. I don't think we've missed out. I see pinball really trending up right now. I think it's a great time to be in the hobby. If you really just want to own a pinball machine, there are much cheaper games that are fun like everyone has said. Alot of really underrated machines are out there. But if there is that one machine you really want, then hold out for it. You will figure out a way to get it. Just like anything else in life, if you want something bad enough you will figure out how to overcome whatever obstacles there are between you and your goal. I find making as many friends as you can in a certain hobby will typically help open doors of opportunity. My experience so far in being a newer owner in the hobby has been great. I really haven't come across anyone who isn't helpful. These are some good genuine people, which I find refreshing.

Ryan

[BigDaddyBanjo]

I got started by going to MGC with Sean for a few years before I finally bought a machine. That first machine was was a F14 I got non-working for cheap, it took me more than a year to get it working. That sucked, so in the meantime I bought 2 others to play while I brought it back. From there I bought a few each year and sold some others and build a collection. If you are patient you will find good fits for you. You will be surprised how quickly they seem to multiply, in fact that f-14 is sitting on its back right now because I don't have room to set it up!

I agree with the advice here, buy an early working Bally or Williams Sys11 and get your feet wet. There are lots of collectors in the area that will help you learn what you need to keep it working. Don't spend too much on your first game, you will find it is fun to have your own game regardless of the title. Then you can sell/trade up/ buy others as you learn more about the hobby.

[QuyN]

Thanks for sharing your stories and insights. It's really great seeing how everyone got into the hobby, both old and new, and the advice will be completely taken to heart. I've thought about going cheaper, less than $1500, and selling/trading to move up. and after reading more and more, it seems like that's the way to go. On Facebook, I saw there was a High Speed for sale for around $1K, which to me seemed like a really great deal, even with today's pricing, I think it's gone now, which I only saw the other day, so someone must have scooped it up.

The reason why I'm asking, as I mentioned before, is that with spending $4-6K on a machine, it's obviously a big purchase and something that needs really careful consideration. Even at $1K, it's still a relatively big purchase, though a bit, just a bit, easier to swallow. It seems like there will have to be a lot of saving in the pinball account to buy the one machine I really want, or, like you have mentioned, get something a lot cheaper, and work my way up. As far as working on the machines, though electronics are not my specialty, I feel very comfortable with hand tools, even though I could use a lot of practice in the soldering department.

As far as meeting folks, that's a big part of why I joined this forum, even though I'm not a collector at home. I've gained this joy of playing just over the past couple months. When I was a kid, I never really paid attention to them at the arcades. I was mostly into the arcade cabinets and anything Street Fighter. I only played a random ball here and there as a kid, but don't remember any machines other than an Attack From Mars, and a Hercules at a small arcade I used to go to. I will come out to tournaments at some point. I live on the east side of Madison, so most likely it'll be at Alt or Pooley's. Just have to find some time to do that lol. I would love any more insight or advice and am definitely looking forward to meeting more people!

[Hilton]

Looking forward to playing with you more Quy!